Bellatrix's Hideout
by Alex Took
Summary: When James and Sirius investigate rap music coming from within the Forbidden Forest, the two find themselves trapped after discovering some illegal on-goings...
1. Sneaky Slytherins

_**Author's note: Takes place in 5th year, you can read this alone but I wrote it in the universe of Black Hawk's Managing Mischief, which is in a slight AU. But it's not necessary to read beforehand. Please enjoy and review!** _

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><p>Sirius let out a long belch as he stood atop Hagrid's stairs, James waiting below him. The bespectacled boy scrunched up his nose. "Please Sirius I don't want to re-taste that-" Sirius leaped down the stairs and covered James' mouth.<p>

"He'll hear you! Be polite." Sirius glared through his mop of hair. James sighed as the boys headed towards the meadow and away from Hagrid's hut. They had been in for afternoon tea and treats. The treat this time was Banana Slug Muffins, Hagrid's autumn specialty. Sirius had politely eaten all of his while James only ate a bite than slipped the rest to Fang.

"I can't believe you ate it all, Sirius. _So_ like a dog."

"Well eventually the banana and the slug started to morph together and it turned into more of a crunchy-"

"Okay that's enough. I'm gonna be sick."

"You're just a chicken. I ate the whole thing and you know what," Sirius stopped in his tracks, placing his arms proudly on his hips. "If Hagrid made it again, I'd eat it. I'm a _real_ friend."

"Whatever Sirius, it was nasty."

"You're just unwilling to try new foods, that's all. You see, that's the benefit of being a dog. You try knew foods _all_ the time." James plucked a piece of dead grass.

"Including intestines...bones...half rotten deer legs."

"Ew James legs! That's not food that's poison." James rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses.

"Look, I'm not a chicken I try new foods and new things."

"Yeah like what, Mr. I Eat The Same Muffin Every Morning."

"If you were trying to insult me Sirius, then you failed..."

"No I don't, you're a four eyed tall chicken! I bet you wouldn't go in _there_ if I asked you to." He pointed at the Forbidden Forest, whose red and gold trees towered above. Even with their colorful leaves the woods looked intimidating.

"I bet I would. Considering it was last full moon I was being chased by a Werewolf in there. I can't imagine a Centaur being more dangerous than that."

"Hey why was he all angry at you anyway, chasin' you like that?"

"I got a branch stuck in my antlers, so I changed into a person take it out. Wrong idea..." Sirius snickered and James shoved his shoulder, nearly knocking the shorter boy over.

"Chicken."

"All right fine." James veered off towards the forest, Sirius smirking as he trailed after him. "Watch me." James quickened his step as his feet crunched on the fallen leaves.

"I'll watch from here." Sirius planted his feet as James parted away branches that were grabbing onto his sweater. James smirked to himself, he knew he was braver than Sirius. I mean look at him, he was only going into the scariest forest in the world. And he wasn't scared at all. That is, until he looked back and saw that Sirius had vanished.

"Crap." James muttered. But he was brave, right? Yeah. James continued onwards, crashing through the bushes. Now this wasn't about Sirius, this was about proving to himself that he could- "Ah!" James yelped as a black dog darted out from a bush, knocking him to the ground. Two warm paws were pressed against his chest. Sirius' dog form was still puppy like, with big ears and feet compared to his height. He wiggled his tail before hopping off James.

"Gross, dog breath." James adjusted his glasses as he sat up, picking the leaf stems from his sweater. Sirius glanced to James with his blue eyes, that looked even bluer compared to his sleek black fur. One of his ears was up and the other was down, James couldn't help but smile at him even though it was still Sirius. One of the ears flicked forward, the blue eyes suddenly focusing on something intently. He stared, cocking his head, looking deeper into the forest. He cocked his head again, before sniffing the air and darting off. "Padfoot, wait!" James shouted as he sprinted after the dog. The sun was setting now, they should be in the castle. James glanced up as he ran, the patches of sky mirrored the pink canopy of trees, and at this time of evening, the Forbidden Forest was always darker than the rest of the grounds. It would be night in here in no time. "Sirius!" James called again as he watched the pup bound ahead over fallen tree and branch. When suddenly, Sirius skidded to a halt, sniffing the air. James crashed after him, catching his breath when he reached the dog. Sirius lowered his head, looking like a wolf. He let out a short growl. "What the bloody hell, are you doing." James looked about, then he went as stiff as a deer. His head erect, eyes unblinking, his stance solid. Music. There was music. And voices. Then the echo of a bass rumbled through the air. "That's no Centaur music..." Sirius took a step forward, one of his front paws frozen in mid step as he sniffed before suddenly changing back into a person.

"Its Bellatrix and Snivellus!"

"Wha?" James looked around, fumbling for his wand. Whatever two slytherins like that would be doing in the Forbidden Forest must be bad. "Sirius lets just leave and-" But Sirius was already heading off before James could finish his sentence. "Sirius!" He said in a loud whisper as he trotted after him. The music got louder, the bass stronger. The boys caught wind of cackling laughter, glass bottles colliding, more laughter. Sirius paused as he reached the the top of a hill above a secluded clearing. Sirius glared at James' heavy footsteps, but next to nothing could be heard above the pounding rap music and Bellatrix's chortles.

The boys huddled together, crouching as they took in the scene. Bellatrix and Severus, along with several other slytherins were nodding their heads to rap music as they sipped from beers. Bellatrix proudly held a cigarette between her fingers, and let the smoke waft into a younger slytherins' face. Severus looked slightly awkward between them all, he had a bottle in his hand but only sipped it when Bellatrix would look in his direction.

"I can't believe this..." James muttered.

"Me neither, out of the castle at this time of day..." Sirius shook his head, James just stared.

"I mean the smoking and the drinking, Sirius."

"Bella does it all the time. Well, once I caught her smoking outside the house and she threatened to burn me with it if I told. Actually, she did burn me, but just my clothes."

"That is...upsetting." Sirius gasped and flicked his eyes to James.

"James, wait...Snivellus is only 15, like us!"

"Yeah." Sirius' visible eyebrow flew up.

"He's drinking under aged!" James smirked.

"Sirius, I'm sure he's done much worse than that." Sirius shook his head, parting his hair away from his second eye to get a better look.

"This is crazy if you ask me. I'm gonna go tell them how stupid they all are." Sirius shifted to get up but James yanked him back down.

"Are you mad? If you go down there she'll hex you, this is obviously their secret hideout. If anyone found out they'd be expelled or something."

"Hey smart thinking Prongsy, I'll be the anyone who finds out and get them expelled." Before James could grab Sirius for the second time, the boy leaped up and marched down the hillside, but within a few steps, slipped and went tumbling into the middle of the rap and alcohol. James made himself as flat as he could, peering above the mess of fallen leaves, his wand in his hand. Waiting to attack.

Every eye in the group was on Sirius. The boy looked about before starting his tirade."I love drinking, look at me. I'm so cool. I want a ciggy. I want to party out here with the coolest people ever." Bellatrix stared for a minute, and if they all hadn't been drinking, they would have sensed the sarcasm in his tone. But Bellatrix took him Siriusly. The witch stared then let out a snort before lazily clapping her hands, cigarette ashes filling the air. "Well well well, I must say my little Sirypoo, its about time you joined us. You're almost like a Black now. Come here!" Bellatrix rose and swaggered over to Sirius, wrapping her arm around him with her smoke and beer breath engulfing him.

"Ew gross I didn't come here to get drunk I came here to-"

"Oh Sirius, I don't think you're ready for that type of big kid fun yet. It might kill you." Bellatrix took a swig of her drink before snapping her fingers. "Bottle." Severus hurried over and held it out to Sirius.

"_Black_." He said in his nasally tone. Sirius stared it for a minute, Bellatrix's enormous gaze was pressing on him. He snagged the bottle.

"Now you better drink with us and not even think about telling a soul that we're here or else I might have to do something not so nice." She shattered her empty beer bottle against a tree. "And I would hate to do that to my little Sirius." He couldn't get away now. Sirius was cornered. And James was right, she would hex or shatter him if he threatened her. Alone anyway. His blue eye drifted up to James whose brown sweater blended in with the leaves around him. If Sirius hadn't seen the glint of sunset in his glasses, he'd be almost invisible.

"Thanks..." Sirius said. What was he to do? Gain information. The more he knew, the more trouble he could get them in. But then the more trouble he'd be in once they were out of trouble. Trouble, Sirius was always getting himself into it. He fingered the serrated cap on the bottle, and decided to stay quiet. Bellatrix seemed to loose interest in him and wandered back over to the rock she had been lounging on and plopped down. Nodding her head to the beat. A Slytherin girl wandered over to their stereo and cranked up the bass. Sirius could have sworn Bellatrix's rock was vibrating. Sirius hadn't notice Severus was still beside him till he spoke.

"So, you just happened to...wander out here and, find us like this. Seems slightly, suspicious to me."

"Yeah, I was out for a walk."

"In the Forbidden Forest?"

"Yeah so. Not like this place is scary anyways." Severus smirked.

"Do you know from, experience?"

"No but I know you'd be too chicken to come in here if it was." Severus' smile vanished.

"How dare you." Sirius stuck his tongue out at him. "I would-" Everyone's heads spun about at the sound of Bellatrix's screech. She leaped up from her seat and cheered as she jumped about.

"Its here! Its here! Oh Cissy what a great team you make!" Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black appeared from the trees, heading over with several tall bottles of wizard hard liquor. "Oh you even got an extra, how thoughtful of you."

"With the right incentive, I can get my Narcissa's sister anything she wishes for." Lucius said as he handed the bottles to Bellatrix. The witch smiled her blackened teeth and let her cigarette fall to the ground as she hugged the bottles. When a leaf starting smoking, Sirius sprinted over and stomped it out.

"Don't set the world on fire!" Lucius eyed him for a moment before a smile formed on his lips.

"Is this Regulus' brother?" Bellatrix wrapped her free arm around him, making Sirius stiffen.

"Yes." Lucius raised his brow.

"Welcome, then." Narcissa kept her gaze on the boy then spoke up.

"Bella, you're sure he won't tell?" Sirius felt Bellatrix's fingernails dig into his skin.

"Yes." She released him once Sirius nodded.

"I'm sure he wouldn't want to betray our, _trust_." Lucius said, his eyes locked onto Sirius. Sirius wanted to spit in his face, in all of their faces. He could have handled one of them, maybe Bellatrix, but now he was surrounded. "Now, please can we enjoy what I have brought us." The group swarmed around he and Bellatrix as they waited for their shots, the rap music still booming. Sirius was left standing a fair distance away, this was his chance. He could bolt, then transform, he always covered ground faster with four legs. Sirius scanned the bushes, the hillside, James was no where in site. He couldn't have ditched him. Maybe he was getting Hagrid or Dumbledore or-

"What are you looking for...Potter perhaps? Or that sickly boy, Lupin?" Sirius narrowed his blue eyes. "Looking for your spy that I have no doubt is out there." Sirius' lip curled up like an angry dog.

"No."

"If you came here to, enjoy yourself. Then why haven't you opened your bottle?" Severus looked down to Sirius' unopened beer.

"If you have then why have you only taken sips when Bellatrix looks at you. You're nasty Snivelous but I didn't think you were this nasty. Do you know how upset Lily would be at you right now?" Severus stiffened at the mention of her name.

"That is none of your business."

"You're right, if you want to be an idiot and loose a friend than fine by me."

"The only idiot here is the one who thinks he is blending in when his eyes won't leave that hillside." Severus said smugly. Sirius clenched his jaw, then caught sight of something moving in the bushes. James! It was James. Why hadn't he just disguised himself as a deer? Whatever the case, Sirius readied to sprint for him.

"You're wrong. I can't even see that hillside because of that giant thing sticking out of your face." Sirius was about to sprint when suddenly, Severus' fist flew out and hit him in the nose. But before he could react, a tall sweatered form tackled Snape to the ground.

"Don't touch him!"

"James!" Sirius yelled as the tall boy pinned Severus to the ground.

"Uh oh." Sirius mumbled when the eyes of the drunken slytherins fell upon the scene. Sirius yanked on James' sweater. "Just leave him alone we need to go!" Sirius knew all hope was lost when a smile formed on Severus' lips. James was suddenly yanked off by the pasty hand of Lucius.

"Who do you think you are, Potter." James glared at him, his glasses askew.

"What's going on?" Bellatrix asked as she swaggered up behind him."Oh little boy, what are you doing here?"

"He was spying. They're both spies." Severus blurted out as he stood up, brushing leaves off his robes. "You're a terrible liar, Black."

"Spies?" Lucius said through a smirk. "You truly believed you would get away with that. We're only the most powerful-"

"Yeah I know Goldilocks. That's what makes this all so stupid. You're such losers that you-" Bellatrix stepped up and slapped Sirius.

"Don't you talk to-" but before she could finish James' foot was in her gut. She flopped backwards, and her lit cigarette smashed against Lucius' arm. The blonde let out a squeal and let go of Sirius as he frantically looked to the burn on his satin shirt. James and Sirius both took the opportunity to flee. Sirius shoved Severus over as he sprinted past, but the boys didn't get far before spells bounded them and sent them flying to the forest floor. Their limbs were frozen. And Bellatrix's maniacal smile skipped over to them, her wand in hand.

"Did you think you could just get away that easy?" Sirius looked behind her, Severus was standing a safe distance behind, looking smug. But it seemed Lucius was more concerned with the state of his clothing than punishing the spies. Narcissa had taken his hand in her's and was comforting him as she tried mending spells on the burn. "Hey!" Bellatrix kicked Sirius, and though he couldn't move he could still feel her pointy boot ram his ribcage. "Stop being so quiet."

"All right. HELP! HAGRID! HELP!" James screamed.

"_Silencio_!" Bellatrix shouted as a spell whizzed at James. "Oh you stupid boys," Bellatrix knelt down beside, Sirius. "What is aunt Bella gonna do to you?"

"You're my cousin you idiot." Sirius said. Bellatrix stared before rolling her eyes. "Like it matters." Bellatrix snapped over her shoulder, Severus took the que and fetched her another beer. Bellatrix smiled as he handed it to her. "There's a good boy." She sipped it as she circled the gryffindors. "What should Bella do. Hmmm." She tripped on James' arm, spilling her beer onto him. James glared. "Watch where you're going!" She snapped. "Well, I could call a little friend of mine to take care of you. He's kind, generous. Handsome and smart." She lit another cigarette before smugly saying, "his name is Tom."

"Tom? Sounds scary to me." Sirius said sarcastically as he struggled to see through the mop of hair that had landed on his face. But Sirius couldn't see James was giving him a look. James knew who she meant, and Bellatrix noticed the fear in his eyes. It made her cackle and skip about. "Oh Tom, my dear friend Tom. Maybe I will give him a little ring." She pulled up her sleeve and aimed her wand at her bare wrist, where the dark mark would be. At the horrified expression on James' face Bellatrix let out another cackle. "Oh, if only it _was_ that easy. Soon...soon."

"You're crazy and no one thinks your funny. You're just fat and ugly." Bellatrix's grin vanished, her beer went flying as she jumped on Sirius' chest, her wand at his throat.

"You think you're funny," Sirius winced as her alcohol and nicotine stenched breath flooded the air. "Let's see whose laughing when the _cruciatus_ curse is tearing through your veins." Sirius blew a wisp of hair from his sight.

"Go ahead. Like I'll care." But James grunted, since it was all he could do, and Bellatrix spun her head about. At the sight of his furious expression she smiled. "All right." She swaggered over to James and jabbed at his stomach with her wand. "Well then, you probably wouldn't mind if I did the same to him?"

"Don't you-" She grinned, still locking eyes with Sirius as she parted her lips.

"___Cruciatus!" _ __


	2. Tom Riddle's Troubles

"C_ruciatus!"_

"_Expelliarmus_!" Bellatrix's wand was suddenly flung from her grasp. Hagrid appeared feet away, storming towards her, Fang barking at his side.

"Shit!" In an instant, Bellatrix disapparated. Apparently Lucius and Narcissa had only just turned their attention on them and at the sight of Hagrid they too vanished before they could hear Hagrid's insults. The rest of the younger slytherins, including Severus, fled. Grabbing the rest of the beer and the stereo on their way out. "Don't think I won't be speakin' with the Headmaster!" He bellowed, shaking his head. Hagrid sighed and looked back to the frozen gryffindors. "Are you boys all right?" His face was full of concern as he flicked his umbrella, unfreezing the two.

As soon as they were released, James' body started trembling. "Oh my god." His voice quivered as he adjusted his glasses, panting. "She-was-was gonna curse me- and-was all- talking about Voldemort and-and she pointed here." James' fingers were shaking as he gestured to his wrist. "Like she was gonna-gonna." Suddenly James flopped backwards into the leaves. Sirius gasped and crawled over to him.

"James don't die!" Hagrid smirked.  
>"Oh Sirius, he only fainted. That loony witch must have given him quite the fright." Hagrid scooped James up like a blanket. "What were you boys doin' out here anyways. Them blasted fools, I can understand. But you two? Always getting' yourselves into trouble."<p>

"Its all my fault. I dared James to go in. Then we heard their music and had to investigate it. Then my stupid cousin sat on us." He kicked at one of her empty bottles. Hagrid sighed, looking about. The forest was darkening quickly. "You can tell me when we're back. We otta get out a here before something else knows we're here." He put a hand on Sirius' back as he eyed the dark woods. "Fang!" He called to the dog who was sniffing at an empty bottle. The wrinkled pup came trotting back and the foursome headed out of the woods as quick as they could.

Hagrid's hut was warm as Sirius hurried in after Fang. Any fear Sirius might have felt earlier had vanished and he was now struggling to keep from turning into a dog to play with Fang. Instead he growled like he was one, and starting wrestling with the gray slobbery dog. Hagrid lay James down on his arm chair and dragged it towards the fireplace. "You hungry?" There was a stream of playful growls from both Sirius and Fang in response, before the gryffindor mimicked a dog's play bow and leaped off his haunches, tackling Fang. "Right then." Hagrid shuffled over to the stove and poured water into a mug, before uncapping a jar of herbs and sprinkling a few in before heading back over to the unconscious James.

"Ouch Fang." Sirius whined as he rubbed his red tooth marked arm. Fang simply stared, wagging his tail before licking Sirius' face."Oh, I can't be mad at you when you're so cute." He rubbed the pup's face as he looked back to Hagrid, his hair plastered to the top of his head from Fang's slobber. "So you sure he's not dead?"

"Certain of it. This will wake him." Hagrid opened James' mouth and poured some of the liquid in. James instantly sat up, coughing. Hagrid laughed as James gagged wiping at his mouth. "Don't worry, it won't kill yeah." James' face went stiff before a gurgling sound echoed from his belly. "Here it comes." Suddenly, James' mouth opened and a small flame burped out.

"What's going on!" James groaned.

"You're turning into a dragon!" Sirius bolted up and ran over, looking up to Hagrid. "Dragons are cool and everything, but you think you could turn him into a dinosaur instead?" Hagrid chuckled before setting the mug down on a table.

"He's not turning into anything. I gave him a pinch of Flaming Fern. Just enough to wake him up."

"And make my mouth taste like fireplace." James made a disgusted face. Sirius climbed up onto the empty space in the armchair.

"You all right?" James nodded, sighing.

"I can't believe I fainted."

"Well, at least we're alive right?" He patted his shoulder before eying a muffin-like food across the room. He flicked his wand and it landed in his lap. "You reckon there's slugs in here?" He whispered.

"Nah. That's just what I like to call, Dirt and Spice Cakes." Hagrid was usually literal with his foods and such, so Sirius sat the muffin aside.

"Are you going to tell on us, Hagrid?" James asked, sitting up a little, the fire reflecting in his glasses.

"Tell what?" Hagrid winked and sipped from his mug. "But you best be runnin' along. And if anyone gives yea any trouble, tell 'em to come talk to me."

"Thanks Hagrid." Sirius said as he gave his goodbyes to Fang.

"Yeah," James spoke up, "thanks a lot." Hagrid pulled the boys into a hug before shoving them out the door into the darkness, nearly making them tumble all the way down. "Watch yourselves there. Now run along, its gettin' awful dark."

"Bye Hagrid!" Sirius called over his shoulder as the pair jogged off towards the towering blinking castle. The boys managed to get into Gryffindor unseen by prefects or ghosts, they were used to sneaking about. As they entered common room, Remus gave them a look as they headed over to him. He sat with a Herbology book on his lap by the fire.

"You missed dinner, where were you?" He asked in a concerned whisper once they two reached him. James plopped down on the floor beside the fire, Sirius taking a seat on the arm of Remus' chair.

"Well," Sirius began.

"We'll tell you later." James added glancing about the common room. Many students were strewn about, chatting while doing their homework, Lily Evans was on the couch across from them. James locked eyes with her before nervously looking away and adjusting his glasses. "So...what was for dinner, anything special?" James quickly said trying to distract himself from Lily. Remus gave him a funny look.

"The same thing we always have, James."

"Oh." He said quietly, nodding his head, clearly not even listening to his response. But Sirius didn't seem to notice as he violently chewed on his arm like a dog.

"Padfoot!" Remus scolded and swatted him.

"Sorry, it itches really bad."

"Then itch it like a human." Sirius' brow rose.

"Jeeze, someone's cranky." He hopped up and yawned. "Well I'm hittin' the sack. Night." James glanced at Lily again before stumbling up.

"Yeah me too. Night Remus." The pair hurried up, James trying to look as tall and cool as he could when he passed Lily. The two got ready for bed and plopped under the covers, James delicately placing his glasses on his nightstand. The room was silent but for Peters' snore, and surprisingly sleep crept up on James in minutes. He was nearly dozing off when Sirius' whisper, that was almost louder than his talking voice, broke the silence.

"James?" He tried to ignore him, but then a second even louder 'James' was whispered so he rolled over.

"Wha?" Sirius was propped on one elbow, looking perplexed.

"Remember when Bellatrix said she'd invite her friend to join us?"

"I dunno maybe."

"Yeah you do, she said his name was Tom." James sighed and pulled his covers to his chest.

"What about it."

"Who do you reckon she meant by Tom? There's no Tom in Hogwarts. Well, unless she meant Tom the first year who eats plants in Herbology. You think-"

"No Sirius, I don't."

"How do _you_ know that?"

"Well first off I kinda know a lot, and second I know she didn't mean _that_ Tom." James sighed.

"Okay then smarty pants what _Tom_ did she mean?"

"Tom Riddle, okay?" James answered reluctantly. "That's the Tom she meant." Sirius was quiet for a minute.

"Voldemort?" James glared at him.

"Yes."

"Oh," Sirius adjusted his blanket. "Well I'm glad he didn't come."

"Yeah ya think so?" James said sarcastically.

"Yeah I know so. That guy has the nastiest farts ever." James was silent. Was Sirius talking about the same Voldemort? "He's ugly and weird. He always tries to talk to me at dinner."

"Hang on..." But Sirius ignored him.

"Then he gets all insulted when I don't pass him the potatoes. He could have just got them himself they were right in front of him. It's like he enjoys giving orders or something."

"Yeah, just a bit...Sirius, what Voldemort are you talking about?"

"The farting, bald, slithery tongued weirdo." James sat up and put on his glasses.

"So you're telling me, Voldemort comes over to your house, for dinner...?" Sirius nodded.  
>"I mean its not like every night, but on Holidays and stuff he likes to. I think he doesn't have family or something I dunno. He's probably half egg with how bald he is. All he needs to do is befriend a chicken then they could have Christmas dinner together." Sirius rolled over. "Well, Night James." James sat silent, how did he not know any of this before, and how did Sirius say it all so matter of factly?<p>

"Sirius, wait-" But by the dog like snores coming from the dark lump, Sirius had passed out. This would have to wait till morning, James sighed. Now James really felt like a chicken. Here he was afraid to eat Banana slug muffins when his best friend eats dinner with the Dark Lord. This would most definitely have to wait till morning.

_** An hour later in the Forbidden Forest...**_

The forest was silent. Dark. Empty. The leaves rustled as someone apperated into a small clearing. The clearing where Bellatrix and friends were drinking hours before, where James and Sirius were saved by Hagrid. He kicked a bottle as he walked, looking about. It was Voldemort, wearing a Slytherin beanie atop his bald head as a disguise. He scanned the area, but no one was in sight.

"Sssshit, lookssss like I misssssed the party." He said bitterly in his slithery tone. "All I wanted wassss to drink with sssome friendssss. Friends like Ssssiruss Black." He yanked off his beanie and threw it on the ground, hissing as he disapperated, "damn you all!"

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><p><em><strong>Thank you all for reading this story! I'll write more Marauders stories soon, but only if I know you all enjoy them! So please review<strong>_!


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